When I applied to colleges, I built a spreadsheet that weighed the pros and cons of every school I was considering. Out of the 13 categories, not a single category weighed the impact of the school's community on my spiritual well-being. I assumed that I could get my needs met elsewhere.

I love telling the story of how my husband Malcolm proposed to me; it is such a testament to the delightfully awkward flavor of our relationship. We were in Ontario, Canada, at one of his favorite places on Earth: his parents’ cottage on Black Donald Lake. One evening, as we were practically.